Burrowing owls are small, long-legged owls that live in open, treeless areas. They get their name from their habit of nesting underground in burrows dug by mammals like prairie dogs, ground squirrels, and badgers. Burrowing owls are found in grasslands, rangelands, agricultural areas, and deserts across western North America from Canada to Mexico.
Range of the Burrowing Owl
In the United States, burrowing owls are found in the western states. Their range extends from eastern and central Washington state, Oregon, California, western Montana, western North Dakota, southwestern South Dakota, western Nebraska, western Kansas, western Oklahoma, western and southern Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming. They are also found in Florida.
The specific states where burrowing owls have been observed include:
- California
- Colorado
- Florida
- Idaho
- Kansas
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- South Dakota
- Texas
- Utah
- Washington
- Wyoming
Of these states, burrowing owls are most abundant in California, Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming. They can be found year-round in these states.
Decline of Burrowing Owls
Although burrowing owls once ranged across grasslands from Minnesota to Manitoba down to Missouri and were common in Florida, their populations have declined substantially over the past 100 years. The major reasons for the decline include habitat loss, control of burrowing mammals, vehicle collisions, wind turbine collisions, shooting, and poisoning of prairie dogs.
It is estimated that nearly 60 percent of the breeding groups of burrowing owls in North America have disappeared. Populations are declining an average of about 8 percent per year. Burrowing owls are now listed as endangered, threatened, or a species of special concern in most of the states where they are found.
Western States
In the western states, habitat loss from urban and agricultural development has substantially reduced burrowing owl populations. Control and eradication of prairie dogs, ground squirrels, and badgers has also led to loss of burrows and nesting habitat.
Collision with vehicles is a significant source of mortality in many areas. Wind power development causes both habitat loss and mortality from turbine strikes. Shooting and poisoning continue to threaten western populations.
Declines have been most severe in California, where burrowing owls have virtually disappeared from the northern and central regions and are dramatically reduced in southern regions. They are listed as a California Species of Special Concern.
In Oregon and Washington, habitat loss and declines in ground squirrel populations have reduced breeding burrowing owls. They are listed as endangered in Washington.
Great Plains States
On the Great Plains, burrowing owl declines have been caused by the conversion of grasslands to cropland, control of prairie dog colonies, and the decline of black-tailed prairie dogs. They are listed as endangered in South Dakota and threatened in North Dakota.
Burrowing owl populations have dropped sharply in Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and eastern Colorado. Control of prairie dogs on rangelands has substantially affected their nesting habitat.
Florida
In Florida, burrowing owls are listed as threatened. Most breeding habitat has been lost to urbanization and agriculture. Remaining populations are threatened by vehicle collisions.
Conservation Status by State
Here is an overview of the conservation status of burrowing owls in the states where they are found:
State | Conservation Status |
---|---|
California | Species of Special Concern |
Colorado | Threatened |
Florida | Threatened |
Idaho | Not listed |
Kansas | Not listed |
Montana | Species of Concern |
Nebraska | Threatened |
Nevada | Protected |
New Mexico | Threatened |
North Dakota | Threatened |
Oklahoma | Species of Concern |
Oregon | Endangered |
South Dakota | Endangered |
Texas | Species of Concern |
Utah | Species of Concern |
Washington | Endangered |
Wyoming | Species of Concern |
Key States for Burrowing Owls
The states that are most important for burrowing owl conservation based on having the largest remaining populations are:
- California: Has the largest population of any state, estimated at nearly 10,000 pairs. Owls are found in the Imperial Valley and central and southern coastal areas. The Imperial Valley holds one of the densest breeding populations.
- Colorado: Has a stable population of around 2,500 breeding pairs statewide. Most are on the eastern plains.
- Montana: Has around 500 breeding pairs concentrated in the southeastern part of the state.
- New Mexico: Supports an estimated 1,500 breeding pairs statewide, mostly in the south-central and southeastern regions.
- Oklahoma: Population estimated at over 3,000 individuals, primarily on the panhandle and northcentral regions.
- Texas: Large numbers breed in the panhandle. Statewide population is around 5,000 pairs.
- Wyoming: Has approximately 1,000 breeding pairs mostly concentrated in the southern counties.
Efforts to protect and restore grassland and prairie habitat, limit poisoning and shooting, and manage sustainably for prairie dogs and ground squirrels will be most beneficial in these key states.
Breeding Range Details by State
Here are some more details on the specific breeding areas for burrowing owls in the states where they are found:
California
The Imperial Valley in southeastern California has one of the densest breeding populations, estimated at over 5,000 pairs. Owls breed near agricultural fields and irrigation canals. The central and southern coastal regions, including Monterey, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles counties, support populations of 1,000-2,000 pairs. Smaller breeding groups occur in the Central Valley, along the southeastern border, and in scattered desert locations.
Colorado
Most breeding owls are found on the eastern plains, especially Elbert, Lincoln, Kit Carson, Cheyenne, and Kiowa counties. Additional breeding areas are in the San Luis Valley, along the western slope, and the northwest region.
Florida
The majority of burrowing owls live in southwest and central Florida, including Charlotte, Lee, Polk, Sarasota, DeSoto, Glades, and Okeechobee counties. Scattered breeding occurs in other parts of central and southern Florida.
Idaho
Burrowing owls are scattered across southern Idaho. Largest populations occur near agricultural areas in Canyon, Power, Bingham, Bonneville, Bannock, and Fremont counties.
Kansas
Breeding happens primarily in the western third of the state, especially in southwest Kansas. Ellis, Rooks, Meade, Seward, Haskell, Kearney, Hamilton, Stanton, Grant, Stevens, and Morton counties have had nesting records.
Montana
Burrowing owls in Montana breed mainly in the southeastern portion of the state across Garfield, Rosebud, Big Horn, Yellowstone, Custer, Fallon, Carter, Powder River, and Wibaux counties.
Nebraska
The majority of the breeding population is found in the panhandle and southwest regions. Key counties include Kimball, Cheyenne, Sioux, Scotts Bluff, Banner, Box Butte, Morrill, Garden, Deuel, Keith, Lincoln, Chase, Dundy, and Hitchcock.
Nevada
In Nevada, burrowing owls live across the northern half of the state. Largest populations occur in Churchill, Pershing, Lander, Eureka, Elko, White Pine, and Nye counties.
New Mexico
Most New Mexico burrowing owls breed in the south-central and southeastern areas, including Lea, Eddy, Chaves, Roosevelt, Curry, Quay, De Baca, Lincoln, and Otero counties.
North Dakota
Burrowing owl breeding is concentrated in the southwest, south-central, and Badlands regions including Bowman, Slope, Golden Valley, Billings, Dunn, Stark, Morton, Grant, Sioux, Adams, and Hettinger counties.
Oklahoma
In Oklahoma, breeding primarily occurs in Cimarron, Texas, Beaver, Harper, Woods, Alfalfa, Grant, Kay, Noble, Payne, Dewey, Blaine, Canadian, Kingfisher, Woodward, and Major counties.
Oregon
The majority of burrowing owls in Oregon nest in the southeastern corner and along the northern border with Washington. Malheur, Harney, Lake, Klamath, and Umatilla counties have had breeding records.
South Dakota
Most breeding happens in central and western South Dakota, especially on tribal lands. Key counties are Lyman, Tripp, Gregory, Charles Mix, Brule, Buffalo, Hughes, Stanley, Sully, and Dewey.
Texas
In Texas, large breeding concentrations occur in the panhandle as well as west-central counties. Dallam, Hartley, Oldham, Deaf Smith, Randall, Armstrong, Carson, Hutchinson, Roberts, Hemphill, Wheeler, Gray, Donley, Collingsworth, Childress, Hall, Briscoe, Swisher, Castro, and Bailey counties support breeding owls.
Utah
Burrowing owls in Utah mostly nest in scattered locations across the western half of the state. Documented breeding has occurred in Box Elder, Cache, Rich, Weber, Tooele, Salt Lake, Davis, Utah, Duchesne, Uintah, Carbon, Sanpete, Millard, Beaver, Iron, and Washington counties.
Washington
In Washington, breeding primarily occurs in the scabland habitat of Grant, Douglas, Okanogan, Franklin, Adams, and Lincoln counties.
Wyoming
Most owls in Wyoming nest in the southeastern corner of the state in Goshen, Laramie, Platte, Converse, Niobrara, and Albany counties. Additional scattered breeding occurs in Carbon, Sweetwater, Uinta, Lincoln, Teton, Fremont, Hot Springs, Park, Big Horn, and Sheridan counties.
Habitat Preferences
Burrowing owls need open habitats with low vegetation and am abundance of burrowing mammals. Their preferred breeding habitats include:
- Shortgrass prairies
- Mixed-grass prairies
- Desert grasslands
- Agricultural areas like pastures, hayfields, and fallow fields
- Rangelands, especially with prairie dog colonies
- Airports, golf courses, cemeteries, and vacant lots in urban areas
Access to burrows is essential for nesting and roosting. Burrowing owls usually nest in burrows dug by prairie dogs, ground squirrels, badgers, or foxes. They may also use man-made cavities like pipes, culverts, and nest boxes.
Population Threats
The dramatic decline in burrowing owl numbers has been driven by multiple threats:
- Habitat loss: The conversion of native prairie to cropland has removed substantial nesting habitat across their breeding range.
- Control of burrowing mammals: Widespread poisoning and shooting of prairie dogs and ground squirrels has eliminated burrowing owl nesting and shelter sites.
- Urbanization: The growth of cities, suburbs, and infrastructure has caused permanent habitat loss.
- Vehicle collisions: Owls nesting near roads are vulnerable to being hit by cars and trucks.
- Wind turbines: Burrowing owls are killed by collisions with wind turbine blades.
- Shooting: Some owls are killed intentionally by shooting.
- Poisoning: Rodenticides applied to control prairie dogs secondarily poison the owls that prey on them.
Conservation Actions
To protect remaining populations of burrowing owls and help recover declining populations, important conservation actions include:
- Protecting existing grassland habitat from further development.
- Establishing protected reserves on public and private lands.
- Managing grasslands to maintain vegetation at appropriate heights through grazing, burning, or mowing.
- Preserving colonies of prairie dogs and ground squirrels.
- Installing artificial nest burrows where burrows are lacking.
- Using wildlife crossing structures to reduce vehicle collisions.
- Altering wind turbine operations during nesting season.
- Enforcing laws prohibiting shooting.
- Restricting the use of poison baits for burrowing mammal control.
- Increasing public awareness and involvement in burrowing owl conservation.
Conclusion
Burrowing owls once occupied prairies, plains, and grasslands across much of North America. Their populations have experienced steep declines due to extensive habitat loss and other threats. Burrowing owls are still found throughout the western states, but many populations are small and isolated. Aggressive conservation action to protect habitat, maintain food sources like prairie dogs, and reduce mortality risks will be essential to prevent further declines in this unique owl species. Ongoing monitoring and research are also needed to track population trends and inform management strategies for burrowing owl recovery.